Football

Ousmane Dembélé produced a masterclass with a sensational hat-trick as France defeated a heavily rotated Norway side 4-1 to finish top of Group I with a perfect record at the FIFA World Cup. France wasted no time asserting their dominance, coming within inches of taking the lead after just 22 seconds. Kylian Mbappé rattled the underside of the crossbar with a fierce effort after bursting in from the right, narrowly missing what would have been one of the fastest goals in Worl

Cristiano Ronaldo delivered another historic performance on the biggest stage in football, scoring twice as Portugal demolished Uzbekistan 5-0 to strengthen their position at the top of Group K. The 41-year-old superstar etched his name deeper into football history by becoming the first player ever to score in six different FIFA World Cups, a feat unmatched by any player before him. Ronaldo opened the scoring early in the contest, finishing clinically to put Portugal ahead an

Lionel Messi etched his name even deeper into football history on Monday, scoring twice to lead Argentina to a 2-0 victory over Austria and secure the defending champions a place in the FIFA World Cup knockout rounds. The Argentine captain became the tournament’s all-time leading goalscorer with his 17th World Cup goal, surpassing the previous record he had shared with German legend Miroslav Klose. Messi struck first in the 38th minute at the packed AT&T Stadium in Texas, fin

Lamine Yamal delivered a statement performance on the biggest stage in football, scoring his first FIFA World Cup goal as Spain thrashed Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta, reigniting their campaign and underlining why many believe the teenage sensation could become one of the stars of the tournament. The 18-year-old entered the match under the spotlight after being restricted to just 19 minutes in Spain’s surprising goalless draw against Cape Verde. Head coach Luis de la Fuente had

Japanese football fans have once again earned international praise for cleaning up stadiums after World Cup matches, but a viral social media post in Japan has sparked a debate by questioning whether the same effort is being made at home. Images of supporters of Japan’s national team, known as Samurai Blue, collecting trash and tidying stadium stands after games have circulated widely online. FIFA even praised the fans on X, describing their actions as an example of “impeccab

Paris, France: A French appeals court has ruled that Moroccan football star Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over allegations of rape dating back to 2023, according to reports from French media on Friday. The 27-year-old defender, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and captains the Moroccan national team, has consistently denied all accusations against him since the case first emerged. The investigation began in February 2023 after a 24-year-old woman filed a complaint wit

Cristiano Ronaldo’s quest for World Cup glory suffered an early setback as the Democratic Republic of Congo earned a historic 1-1 draw against Portugal in their Group K opener on Wednesday. Playing in their first FIFA World Cup since 1974, when they competed as Zaire, DR Congo delivered a spirited performance to secure the nation’s first-ever point at the global showpiece. Portugal made a dream start when midfielder João Neves headed home Pedro Neto’s cross in the sixth minut

England’s preparations for their FIFA World Cup campaign have reportedly been disrupted after a significant amount of team equipment was stolen in Kansas City ahead of their opening match. According to reports, a van carrying equipment belonging to the England squad was targeted, with several essential items allegedly taken. The missing equipment is understood to include players’ boots, training gear, coaching staff equipment, footballs, and match-day uniforms. The incident h